It's pumpkin spice season: 17 fall coffee drinks ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest

Elena Veselova // Shutterstock It’s finally here: The largest national fast food restaurants have released their fall coffee menus for 2024! You’re not just limited to pumpkin spice lattes this year–there are all kinds of apple, almond, and chai-inspired concoctions to choose from. While a coffee drink may seem like a quick, low-calorie treat, many are more like desserts when it comes to nutritional value. That’s why Hers took a look at the data for the top five U.S. fast food chains by revenue that serve fall-exclusive coffee drinks. While none of our favorite autumn flavors get super high marks for health-even the best options have 21 grams of sugar-there’s definitely a spectrum. Read on to find out which ones are on the healthier end and which ones may be better suited for a once-in-a-while treat.  Hers analyzed the following four sets of nutritional data for each exclusive fall coffee drink to rank all 17 from healthiest to unhealthiest: Calories: A coffee drink may not seem like a high-calorie part of your day, but some options on the list have as many calories as a typical meal does.  Sugar: It may sweeten up your autumn latte, but sugar is a major contributor to weight gain and belly fat.  Fat: In order to manage fat intake, experts recommend that daily calories in this category should stay under 30% of everything you eat and drink.  Trans fat: Consuming large amounts of trans fat can lead to a number of health issues, including a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.  Key Findings Pumpkin spice lattes largely missed the mark on nutrition: No pumpkin spice flavored drinks appeared in the top five healthiest drinks from any restaurant. Flavors like honey apple, apple crisp, and almond spice took the top three spots.  The two least healthy options were iced versions: The Frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte from Krispy Kreme and the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai from Starbucks were particularly high in calories and sugar content.  You can find healthier fall flavors anywhere: The rankings are evenly spread out across the five fast food restaurants Hers analyzed. That’s good news for picking up a seasonal drink wherever you are.  Grab your favorite cardigan and get ready to place your order. Here are all 17 fall coffee drinks ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest.  Fall Coffee Drinks Ranked from Healthiest to Unhealthiest Hers Iced Honey Apple Almond Milk Flat White (Starbucks app exclusive) Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso (Starbucks) Almond Spice Coffee (Dunkin’) Caramel Cream Cold Brew (Einstein Bros.) Chai Latte (Starbucks) Pumpkin Spice Latte (Krispy Kreme) Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee (Krispy Kreme) Dunkalatte™ (Dunkin’) Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks) Pumpkin Spice Latte (McDonald’s) Apple Crisp Oat Milk Macchiato (Starbucks) Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte (Dunkin’) Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai (Starbucks) Pumpkin Spice Latte (Starbucks) Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte (Starbucks app exclusive) Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai (Starbucks) Frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte (Krispy Kreme) Fall Coffee Drink Nutrition: Trends and Insights Check out how these fall drinks stack up for each nutrition category to quickly scan and see which options are best if you’re tracking specific health categories, like calorie or sugar intake. Which Fall Coffee Drinks Have the Most Calories? Drinks With the Most Calories Frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte from Krispy Kreme (610 cal.) Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai from Starbucks (460 cal.) Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks (390 cal.) Drinks With the Least Calories Iced Honey Apple Almond Milk Flat White from Starbucks (140 cal.) Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso from Starbucks (180 cal.) Almond Spice Coffee from Dunkin’ (190 cal.) Which Fall Coffee Drinks Have the Most Sugar? Drinks With the Most Sugar Frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte from Krispy Kreme (80 g) Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai from Starbucks (66 g) Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte from Dunkin’ (55 g) Drinks With the Least Sugar Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso from Starbucks (21 g) Iced Honey Apple Almond Milk Flat White from Starbucks (22 g) Dunkalatte™ from Dunkin’ (29 g) Which Fall Coffee Drinks Have the Most Fat? Drinks With the Most Fat Frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte from Krispy Kreme (25 g) Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte from Starbucks (18 g) Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai from Starbucks (17 g) Drinks With the Least Fat Almond Spice Coffee from Dunkin’ (1 g) Iced Honey Apple Almond Milk Flat White from Starbucks (4.5 g) Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso from Starbucks (3.5 g) Methodology: How Scores Were Calculated To find the healthiest coffee drinks of the season, Hers looked at the top five fast food restaurants by revenue in the U.S. that offer an exclusive fall-inspired coffee drink menu: McDonald’s, Starbucks, Dunkin’, Krispy Kreme, and Einstein Bros. Hers used the ingredients included in a standard order with no substitutions; so if the order defaulted to a certain type of milk, that is what was used for nutritional data. Hers looked at a medium size for every drink, which is 16 ounces for all but one restaurant. The exception is Dunkin ‘, which serves 14 ounces in a medium cup. The following categories were used for this ranking:  Calories Sugar Total fat Trans fat The healthiest drinks had the lowest averages of calories, sugar, fat, and trans fat. Hers weighted trans fat with a 2x multiplier because of associated health risks such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Get the data How to Stick to Your Health Goals While Savoring Your Favorite Fall Coffee Drink  Coffee alone doesn’t negatively impact weight goals, but that may change when you start to add more ingredients like syrups and cream. Follow these tips to balance the pleasure of a fall drink with nutrition. Choose a milk that supports your health goals. There’s no clear answer on which milk is the best for health. Dr. Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA, a physician specializing in obesity medicine and senior vice president of weight loss at Hers, says that the jury is out on different milk types. “Full fat has more calories, but those fat calories could keep you satiated for longer,” he says. Opting for fat-free milk, on the other hand, has fewer overall calories if you’re trying to reduce your daily caloric intake. Plant-based milks also vary in content. “Soy has the most complete protein, but less calcium, while unsweetened almond milk may have the least calories but incomplete protein,” says Dr. Primack. In other words, do your own research on which milk to request based on your individual needs when ordering a latte.   Consider asking for less syrup. If you’re looking to reduce your sugar intake, ask how many pumps of syrup are in your drink while ordering and consider asking for a couple less. Oftentimes getting half the number of pumps still gives you the desired level of sweetness without all the sugar. Plan for a good night’s sleep. Developing a quality sleep routine can improve your overall health, so pay attention to how late in the day you’re ordering a coffee. According to Dr. Primack, caffeine has a half life of six to eight hours. “I usually recommend cutting it off by lunchtime or right after lunch,” he says. If you really want to ensure a restful night’s sleep, treat yourself to a fall-flavored coffee early in the morning.  Remember to drink water. Savoring a handcrafted latte can be a part of an overall healthy diet, but remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day as well. Water has a number of health benefits, including serving as a building block for cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body.  Focus On Your Health, Coffee Cup In Hand Grabbing your favorite cup of fall coffee is a fun tradition to enjoy each year. And with so many seasonal drink options available at different fast food restaurants, it’s easy to pick one that helps you stay on track with your health goals. This story was produced by Hers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.